Increasing Cooperation between the Temple Movements and the Israel Police

Over the past year, the Temple movement has refocused its agenda, prioritizing the goal of increasing the number of Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.  Much of the movement’s success stems from a demonstrative change in the attitude of the Israel Police toward its activities. Over the years, as part of their scope of responsibilities to prevent disturbances within the sensitive compound, and in response to Temple activists’ repeated violations of their instructions, the police have imposed various restrictions on activists’ entry to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. In the past year, not only have they lifted some of these restrictions, the police have actually been working in close coordination with Temple activists. This deepening of relations leads to a clear erosion of the status quo and may rekindle confrontations on the Mount/Haram. As will be explored in this document, it appears that the root of this provocative change in police conduct is the minister of public security himself, Gilad Erdan.